Friday, September 18, 2015

Writing has always been a
part of my life. When I was just a child I loved to write poetry. The musical
cadence to the rhymes were soothing to me and I used to hum along as I wrote
each line. If I had been able to read and write music I may have written a song
with all the poetry I created over the years.

Music is what started me
wanting to write poetry. To me music is poetry
in motion. I spent many hours listening to the radio and singing along and
harmonizing with the singers. I had dreams of becoming a famous singer at one
time but it was not to be. The only place I got to sing professionally for six
months was with the Profile Chorus which is part of the Sweet Adeline’s International
Chorus.

Though I still love to
sing, writing became my passion. I write every day in some form, blogging, and
letters to friends on social media, promoting my books, and last but most
important is when I am working on a new story or editing an old one.

It is vital to
incorporate some joy into one’s daily life. I am fortunate, thanks to God, to
have found that joy in writing. When I was in school my teachers never had to
force me to write a story, for there was always a story in my head waiting to
come out. I remember all the moans and groans from the rest of the classes when
an instructor mentioned an essay. I, on the other hand, felt excited to begin
the task, or, should I say, the fun.

Writing opened doors to me
that have never been opened before. Being an author has been my dream and to
fulfill that dream is beyond my wildest imagination. I didn’t realize my dream
until I retired from working as an administrative secretary in a school system.
Now I take extreme pleasure in watching children enjoying my books. I write to
share my words with children of all ages and adults, too. My talented husband,
John, is my illustrator and cover creator and I feel blessed to have him by my
side through all our books

When I write I pass from
one idea to the next and each idea has a new door and a new place to explore.
There is much to enjoy as each new door opens and reveals what is behind it.
Sometimes there is fantasy; other times there is mystery or a young children’s
animal story. It is a pure joy to discover what there is to learn and grow from
each new writing experience. With each book that I create I feel that I am
growing stronger and more resilient with my writing. I am sure there is much
more to come and improvement along the way with God’s help. Multiple stories
simultaneously run around in my head and I can’t keep them straight. I must
write them down as soon as I possibly can or they will be lost to be replaced
by others.

Like my motto says:
Reading Gives You Wings to Fly! When I write I soar! I wish for all readers to
read and have fun discovering the joy inside the stories that I create.

On my blog I try
to create interesting posts that share my joy in writing. On my website I showcase my books for
all ages. It is of the utmost importance that parents spend some time every day
reading to their children; thus encouraging them to become readers themselves. My
goal is to inspire children to read and by doing so hope to enable children to
learn to love reading. This love of reading will empower them to one day become
more successful and grow into happy, healthy and contented adults

Thursday, September 10, 2015

I write, but I also read a lot just
to relax. The other day, I finished enjoying a book earlier than I
anticipated. I must admit that once I get into a reading frame of mind,
it is like an addict with his drug of choice. I must read until I cannot absorb
another word. This night, I realized that ceiling was not yet hitting my
head. So, I began searching through my multiple book shelves for something I
might enjoy reading again. I don't usually read a book more than once,
but my addiction was eating me alive, and I had to feed my hunger.

Five minutes later, I stumbled upon "The Shack," by Wm. Paul
Young. I vaguely remembered sitting down with the book a few years ago,
but for some reason I did not read very far into the book. Just returned
it to the bookshelves. This time, I read the back cover. The theme
sounded solid: a man suffering immense loss and hurt is led back to his past,
and directly into the scene of his greatest hurt. There, he meets some
familiar strangers. Strangers, for sure; but, with a sweetness he
remembered as once knowing, but sorrowfully long lost.

This time, as I settled into the book, I could hardly put it down to eat or
sleep. I believe everything happens for a reason, and if one looks
objectively from a distance, the circumstances are always used by God for human
benefit, whether evil or good, happy or sad. Young uses the
question humans have asked for centuries as the basis for a fascinating voyage
into the possibilities of God's nature. Where is God in a
world so filled with unspeakable pain? For personal
reasons, the questions and discussions found within the story had a more
resounding affect on me today than they would have if I read the book three
years ago. So much in my life has changed over those, and the past 25
years. Taking time to consider the knowledge of God's nature as displayed
in the book gives me a little more insight into my own condition, and I even
made sense of some of the questions in my own life that have haunted me for
years.

Faith plays a tremendous part in my life, and The Shack covers each page
with faith: faith in God, faith in his deity and being, and faith in giving our
hurts over to God so that He can work a miracle in our hardened and scarred
hearts. Above all, faith that we are here to pass along God's messages through
our good and not-so-good days, and that our lives are not lived in vain. God
has a purpose that we are assigned to fulfill.

The Shack is a book of fiction -- but at its core is a book bespeaking of
faith, prayer and soul searching. It was a #1 New York Times Bestseller and
millions of copies were sold when first published in 2007. The rich and
famous, such as Kathie Lee Gifford, David Gregory, Michael W. Smith (recording
artist), and artists, publishers and people of faith across the country
endorsed the book.

Why not read it yourself? If you already read it, why not read it
again? It will bring to remembrance why we are on earth and allow us a
glimpse of heaven's glory at the same time.

The Word Asylum is the website of author, educator, and speaker Rhonda L. Walker. From this portal, you can purchase Rhonda’s books, read her blog, connect to her social media sites, and arrange for her to speak at your meetings or events. It is Rhonda’s sincere hope that, through her work, you will be uplifted, entertained, and inspired.

Truly Honest Writing...

“When I write, I draw from my own experiences. That makes me brutally honest, and with the way things have been in my life, that honesty may put a lump in your throat or make you snicker with glee, in realization that you’ve been there too.”